


Carnal Dissonance /WIP

by AquaTufania



Category: Baldur's Gate
Genre: Baldur's Gate 3 Spoilers, F/M, NSFW, vampire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:54:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28601013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AquaTufania/pseuds/AquaTufania
Summary: A slightly different take on the romance scene after finishing the main quest arc.The main protagonist sees through Astarion's charm and makes things difficult for him.----"You've been waiting for this since we first met? You mean when you were seconds away from painting the ground with my blood?"She let out a shrill laugh. She couldn't help herself — the attempt at seduction was so painfully glib.She sighed through a wide, toothy smile."Please, the rehearsed lines may work for your pompous aristocrats and magistrates, but darling I can see right through you. If you just want to fuck me, just say so." She stepped forward and grabbed him by his collar, "The prince charming act is horribly unbecoming of you."
Relationships: Astarion/Nameless Female Protagonist
Kudos: 12





	1. The Party

**Author's Note:**

> No dubcon, though a heavy dom/antagonistic sub dynamic, primal dom/sub, biting, scratching, name calling, general "I can't believe I'm attracted to you, you're awful" fucking. Unnamed female character gets off on getting Astarion absolutely infuriated, so if you're not into that, time to go 🤭

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Adventurer waits patiently for the partygoers to fall asleep, revisiting moments from earlier that night while she passes the time, and I realize I have major hots for Zavlor and need to write a separate fic for demon daddy. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edits as of -1/6/2020 11:04PM-

“Meet me by the river after everyone has fallen asleep,” Astarion breathed those words into the adventurer’s neck mere hours before. The tips of his fangs brushed her prickled skin as he pulled away. Her cheeks flushed. He laughed quietly while his cool fingers trickled down her arm. She blamed the wine and he played along.   
That scene had played repeatedly in her mind the moment she was pulled away by cheerful Tieflings begging her to join in the revelry. Astarion gave her a smirk and raised his chalice, he was perfectly content observing from the shadows, tormenting himself with a bottle of terrible wine and biding time until their rendezvous. She smiled sheepishly while being dragged backwards by both arms. Tiefling children darted beneath shuffling feet, nabbing candied fruit and nuts from makeshift tables. Shadowheart and Lae’zel huddled together on the edge of the crowd, pretending to be unamused with Gale’s show of illusions – bright whorls of color, jovial music and a rich smell of lilies enraptured the guests. Beneath the setting placed by Gale, Wyll regaled the refugees with stories of adventure and heroism, sparing no detail — or silly voice. Scratch pranced with glee through the party, occasionally stopping by Gale and Wyll’s feet for ear scritches.

A group of Tiefling women gathered around the Adventurer and hurried her into the midst of dancers. The crowd split as Zavlor stepped through, standing tall and proud. He approached her and asked for her hand, unable to quite make eye contact with her. She accepted the invitation and was quickly whisked away into the sea of revelry. He surprised her with his grace and elegance, his joy was palpable in each step and turn, and on occasion he would spin her so quickly her feet would leave the ground. He apologized each time, and she in turn insisted that it was more than alright. 

_I’m just happy you’re happy._ His eyes darted away from her reassuring smile. She thought he might have been blushing, simply hidden away by his already crimson complexion. She would have been lying if she said seeing someone like him flustered from the attention of a woman of her stature and background didn’t fill her with concupiscence. And she would be lying if she said the thought hadn’t crossed her mind on more than one occasion. His imposing presence juxtaposed by a kind and gentle demeanor, his commanding voice, the warmth of hellfire radiating beneath rippling muscle and sinew… even though imagining taking him to bed was gratifying, she couldn’t help but be elsewhere.   
“Meet me by the river –”   
The party had been magnificent – and exhausting – everyone was now fast asleep, huddled around the embers of dying bonfires. She laid on her side, her eyes were closed but she was restless.   
“Meet me by the river –” echoed again and again.   
She heard light footsteps approach the circle of bedrolls, an unmistakable gait confirmed by a light, cool touch against her face. The sound of leather boots against gravel trailed away to the river bed. Though she was eager, she waited. Her attraction to Astarion was akin to a game of cat and mouse. Gale had warned her against pursuing the vampire, as if she wasn’t aware of the silky doublespeak that dripped from his fangs. Gale nodded to the Tiefling commander across the camp. Zavlor and Wyll had been sharing tales to settle down rambunctious children and get them prepared for the long day ahead. She laid in bed and contemplated Gale’s warning for a moment. She knew why she couldn’t resist the pale elf. She was curious to see what was underneath his calm and collected façade, to see if the moments of vulnerability were genuine or nothing more than another layer to an intricate web of deception — to see if there was really anything at all. She simply wanted to see what would happen. 


	2. A Sweet Little Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Adventurer meets Astarion by the river, but not before making him wait.   
> Tension rises as two equally stubborn and calculating (and just downright horny) characters meet under the full moon.   
> No explicit scenes yet, but boy they're a comin'

She counted the minutes from when she could no longer hear him. She smiled fiendishly to herself and rolled over to gaze at the stars. The sky looked different out here, like an ocean one could fall into if they were not careful. In Baldur’s Gate lights from taverns and night markets snuffed out the clouds of nebulae and stardust. Only the brightest stars could puncture through. She twiddled her fingers and decided she had waited long enough. She gently crawled out of bed, careful to not wake any of her company. The last thing she needed was a self serving lecture from Gale, or more jealous cuts from Lae’zel that she surprised her with earlier that night. She rose slowly, and began towards the river at a leisurely pace. The sound of snoring and crackling fire gave way to lapping water and owls calling in the distance.   
A small bat danced around her head and she gingerly brushed it away. She watched it for a moment. It’s soft, round body bobbed against the full moon. It’s stretched wings glowed pink in the silver light. _What strange misunderstood creatures_ , she thought. _How could anyone fear such an adorable little thing?_  
“Please tell me you didn’t think that was me,” Astarion appeared over a hill on the other side of the river. His arms were crossed as he leaned against a large pine tree. His face was partially obscured in the night. She couldn’t parse if he was serious.   
“No, this sweet little thing is much too cute to be you,” She returned with a sly smile. 

She lifted her tailcoat and stepped confidently between large boulders dotting the river. Astarion held his hand out to her as she climbed up the hillside. He clasped both of her hands in his own, gently caressing her knuckles with his thumbs. He locked eyes with her. His expression was wistful, romantic, dreamlike — but he was looking right through her. It was all manufactured, of course. She gazed into his deep garnet eyes and wondered if he even knew how to be genuine. Or if the years of regaling, charming, and pretending had slowly dissolved away what few authentic pieces of himself he had left.   
He walked backwards without breaking his gaze, leading her into a small clearing set with a linen blanket, candles, and a basket of fruit. His eyebrows furrowed, he looked up at her through heavy eyelids and stroked her cheek with his middle and forefinger. He took a deep, heavy breath, exhaled sharply and smiled.   
“I’ve wanted this since the moment I first saw you,” he whispered in a low, desperate tone. 

_ Oh, how he shouldn’t have said that.  _

  
She was willing to play coy and bathe in the fabricated romance, savor each premeditated touch and kiss, giggle at every pet name that had been used on the victims before her. _But such a boldfaced lie!_ No, she would not — could not, let him be satisfied with this shallow attempt at courtship.  
"You've been waiting for this _since we first met_?” she recoiled from his soft grasp, shooting him a look of bewilderment and scandal, “You mean when you were seconds away from painting the ground with my blood?"

She let out a shrill laugh. She couldn't help herself — the line was so painfully glib.

She collected herself and sighed through a wide, toothy grin. The adventurer ran her hands through her hair then threw them down into tight fists. She stood defiantly before him, staring at him with knowing eyes, as if to say, “ _You’re not the only one who can play games, dear._ ”   
Astarion’s effort to look not only unphased, but confused by her wild accusation gave way to a small snarl curling at the side of his mouth and nose. His jaw tensed through a polite smile. His previously loose and languid posture had locked at the joints. He was ready to lunge at the insubordinate woman if need be. He didn’t have his rapier or dagger on his person. Was _she_ armed? He wondered if this was the end of an elaborate plan to get him alone, if she saved him from the Gur only to bring him back to Cazador herself. Perhaps she would kill him right there? Could he have murdered one of her friends, lovers, or family in the dark alleys of Baldur’s Gate? Was this revenge? _Retribution?_

"Please, the rehearsed lines may work for your pompous aristocrats and magistrates, but darling I can see right through you. If you just want to fuck me, say so." She stepped forward and grabbed him by his collar, forcing him to meet the obstinate woman’s eyeline. 

She sneered playfully at the vampire, grazing her teeth against his jaw, 

"The prince charming act is horribly unbecoming of you."  
Astarion’s body relaxed. She was only fucking with him. _  
__That was a mistake._


End file.
